What You Should Know Before Hiring Electrical Contractors

Whether you’re undergoing a complex renovation or simply need some wiring repaired, there are plenty of reasons why one could need the services of an electrical contractor. But there’s more to hiring electrical contractors than just picking up the phone and dialing the number of the first result in your Google search.

There are certain things everyone should know before hiring electrical contractors. To help highlight what they are, here’s a checklist of the information you should gather before letting an electrician do work for you.

Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB)

BBB.org is a place you can go to check out business profiles from the Better Business Bureau. These profiles can give insight as to how long a contractor has been in business and provide contact information. You can even find customer reviews and complaints by visiting this site.

Seek Out References

Reach out to others who have recently undergone renovations or had electrical work done on their property. Ask about what they did or did not like from the contractor they used and see if any electrical contractors stand out above the rest.

Get a Contract

When you finally decide on which electrical contractor you’ll use, be sure to get everything in writing. Anything that is promised verbally should also be put in a contract, which should also contain a detailed description of the work at hand, including start and completion dates. The payment schedule and specific details about materials used should also be in your contract.

Obtain Required Permits

Often time renovation work requires permits from your town or municipality. Be sure you obtain these permits before hiring an electrical contractor or find a contractor who can handle permits for you as part of the job. If you have a contractor say that they’d rather not get permits, it can be a bad sign and is likely a contractor you should avoid using.